Humidifier



Sept. 13, 1932. c. H. KELSEA ET AL HUMIDIFIER Filed Feb. 25. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept 13, 1932 c. H. KELSEA ET Al. 1,876,959

HUMIDIFIER Filed Feb. 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aff 7 F Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED-STATES i PATENT orricrz i CHUSETTiASSIGNORS T0 PETER GRAY CLARENCE H. KELSEA, OF BELMONT, ANDi'CI-IARLES I. GEDDES, OF ARLINGTON, MASSA- A a a soNS, Inc., or CAMBRIDGE. MASSACHU- sirr'rs, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS Y .n

i Application? filed February 25, A 1$30` Serial No. 431,253.

This invention relates to'a humidifier for use with radiators, registers and the like,'and of that character in which the` heatedr air from the radiator passes up through a fabric supplied withv moisture by capillarity from receptacles containing water. l ln general the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of humidifier which is durable, rigid and. in# expensive to manufacture.` To this end the humidifier is provided with water-holding receptacles preferably of trough shape, each formed by being drawn from a single sheet of metal, preferably brass, and oneor more of whi-ch are preferably arranged to" Vbe re` movably supported in a framework adapted to rest on the top of the radiator. ,Y

The framework may "and preferably will be of box-shape formed of sheet metal having sides and an integralintermediate troughsupporting member. and also having end pieces welded to the sides so as to provide a construction in which the use of solder is `unnecessary, thus providing a strong and durable construction of the humidifier, which may be used for an indenite period of time and which is f ree from electrolyticaction.

The construction of the humidifier is such as lends itself particularly to its manufacture from sheet metal in a most economical and practical manner.

These and otherv features of the invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification. 1 y o 1n the drawings illustrating Ythe preferred embodiment of the invention, i, l Fig. 1 is a plan of the humidifier with a portion of the cover and the wick cut` away; Fig. 2, a plan view of the humidifier with the cover and wick removed; f v y Fig. 3, a cross-sectional View on the line 3 3, Fig. 2; i Y

Fig. 4, aplan View illustratingthe supporting framework with thefj'troughs` re.

moved; I 7 Fig. 5, a sectional view on the line 5-5,

Fig. 4; i'

Fig. 6, a sectional detail taken :onfthve'rlne: 6 6, I 1:5` Y, i.

Fig.; 7, a' cross-sectional view on the line 7-7, Fig. 4, and

Figs. 8, 9 and 10, diagrammatic views illustrating the mannerA of forming the supporting framework comprising thesides and `intermediate member for supporting the troughs.

Referring to the drawings, 10-12 represent trough-shaped sheet metal members which are designed to contain the water for supplying the humidity to the air passing upwardly through the humidifier from Vthe radiator. The'trough-'shaped members 10, 12 may and brassor other non-co'rrodible metal and each drawn into trough-shape kfrom a -one-piece blank and preferably provided withla 'rim portion 14 around the 'upper marginal edge thereof. f

The trough-shaped members 10, 12 are operatively supported in a framework, preferably of sheet metal, which is herein shown asA formed by sheet metal sides 16, 18 and an integral' intermediate trough-supporting portion indicated generally at 20,-together withend walls 22, 24 secured to the vside .walls as illustrated. 1

The humidity is supplied to thel air passpreferably' will be formed of n ing upwardly from the radiator' through a In order to support the troughs 10, 12, the

sheet metal trough-supportingmember 20 is provided with two suitably shaped elongated openings 34, 36 stamped therein and provided with downwardturned flanges 38 for rein# forcing and stifeningthe supporting member around yeach opening andalso to` present a smooth bearinginto which each trough may snugly fit., ,The central air passage or opening 26 may also be stamped out of the sheet metal `supporting memberv 20 and the latter ,'00 l is provided with a downward turned flange sion is avoided. In this manner a durable trough-supporting member 2O are to be formed, and the flanges 38, 39 may be turned downward in the same operation.

Such a blank with the openings and flanges formed therein is represented in Fig. 8, and thereafter the next step in the operation of forming the humidifier, may comprise the bending of the blank to form the side walls of the humidifier to position the intermediate trough support 2() below the upper edges of the side walls.

As illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 the bending operations may be performed first to depress the central portion of the blank and r. to turn down the side edges 41, 42 Vof the blank to form fianges 43. Thereafter the portions forming the side walls 16, 18 of the blank may be bent downward into the position illustrated in Fig. 10 in which a double wall construction 'is provided at the upper edges of the side walls, thus forming a stiff and rigid construction of side wall and at the same time providing inwardly turned bottom flanges at the lower ends of the side walls.

The end pieces 22, 24 are then secured to each end of the combined side wall and trough-supporting member, and as illustrated in F ig. 6 each end piece is preferably provided with a folded upper portion 44 and with an upper flange 45 which may be welded directly to the end of the intermediate troughfsupportin g member.

The lower end of each end piece is preferably turned to form a flange 47 which may be welded to the ends of the bottom flanges 43 of the side walls 16, 18, thus providing a boxli'ke structure composed of the two end pieces, the side walls, and the trough-supporting member integral therewith, all welded together into a rigid and durable structure.

Considerable practical advantageV flows from the elimination of solder in the construction of the humidifier, particularly in that danger of electrolytic action and corroconstruction of humidifier is provided which may be used for many years. X

- rIhe wick 28 may and preferably will be supported upon the wick-supporting rod 42 operatively held in place by ears 53 struck up from the cross support 41 and from the end of the trough-supporting member 20 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1, 2,4 and 5.

In addition to the durability of the present construction of humidifier, it will be observed that the construction is one which lends itself particularly to the economical manufacture by means of stamping operations and press work. The necessity of hand labor, as has been the case in the prior constructions utilizing solder, is avoided so that humidifiers may be made in quantity production at a minimum.

.The inner walls of the openings 34, 36 in the trough-supporting member 2O are preferably compressed for a portion of their length and depressed below the upper surface of said inner walls to form slots or recesses at the sides and top of said inner walls, so that when the troughs are placed in position in the openings the depressed upper surface 55 of the inner wall will 'form with the rim 14 of the trough aslot at the top of the inner wall, and the compressed portion 56 of the side of the inner wall will form with the side wall of the trough which contacts with the side of the inner wall a slot for the passage upwardly of a thin tie member or metal strip, not shown, which is then passed laterally through the slot between the depressed portion 55 of the inner wall and the rim 14 of the trough, whereby the box-like structure may be detachably secured to the radiator or to a suitable support resting on top of the radiator'.

'It will be observed that the trough-supporting member 20 is made in one piece with the side walls 16, 18 of the box-like body portion; that the end walls are weldable to the side walls; that each water-containing trough is provided with end walls integral with the bottom and with the side walls thereof, and that the wick-supporting rod 42 is located at a higher level than the adjacent sides of the troughs to enable the wick to slope downward into the troughs. .I

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A humidifier comprising a box-like structure having sheet metal side walls and openings, troughs extended into said spaced its openings and engaging the supporting memy of the side walls, and a wick-supporting memy ber extending longitudinally of and above said central air passage, said transversely extended trough support being provided with downward turned flanges around each of the openings therein.

4. A humidifier comprising a box-like structure formed by side-walls and end walls secured thereto, and a transversely extended trough-support between the side wall-s below the upper edges thereof, said side walls and trough-support being formed of a single piece of sheet metal folded to form a double wall at the upper portion of each side wall and an inwardly turned flange at the bottom of each side wall, said end pieces being welded to the bottom flanges of the side walls at the ends thereof.

5. A humidifier comprising a box-like structure having sheet metal side and end walls, an intermediate through-supporting member integral with one set of said walls,

said intermediate member having a troughreceiving opening, a one-piece trough insertible into and removable from said opening and provided with means (1o-operating with the walls of said opening for suspending the trough from said intermediate member.

6. A humidifier comprising a box-like structure having sheet metal side and end walls, an intermediate trough-supporting member integral with one set of said walls, said intermediate member having a troughreceiving opening, a one-piece trough insertible into and removable from said opening and provided with an outwardly extended rim overlapping the walls of said opening.

7 A humidifier comprising a box-like structure having sheet metal side and end walls, an intermediate trough-supporting member integral with one set of said walls, said intermediate member having altroughreceiving opening l opening contracted and depressed for a p0rtion of the length of said wall, and a onepieee trough insertible into and removable from said opening and co-operating with said contracted and depressed wall to form slots for the passage of a tie member between the trough and wall and over the latter.

8. A humidifier comprising a box-like structure having side and end walls, an interhaving one wall of saidl mediate trough-supporting member between said walls and provided with a plurality of trough-receiving openings and with an opening for the passage of air between said trough-receiving openings, into and removable from said trough-receiving openings and a wick operatively supported across the central air passage with the ends of the wick extended into said troughs.

9. A humidifier comprising a box-like structure having sheet metal side and end walls and an intermediate trough-supporting member attached to said walls and provided with an opening, and a one-piece trough havving side and end walls and provided with an outwardly extended rim overlapping said trough-supp orting member.

10. A humidifier comprising a box-like structure formed by sheet metal side walls and sheet metal end walls Welded to said side walls, and a transversely-extended trough support between said side walls below the upper edges thereof, said side walls and trough support being formed of a single piece of sheet metal folded to form a double iva-ll at the upper portion of each side Wall and provide each of said side walls with a smooth finished upper edge.

ll. A humidifier comprising a box-likeV structure formed by sheet metal side and end walls and a transversely-extended trough support between Jthe said walls below the upper edges thereof, said side walls and troughsup sort being formed of a single piece of sheet metal folded to form a double wall at the upper portion of each side wall and a flange at the bottom of each side wall, said double wall providing each side wall with a smooth upper edge, and said end walls being formed of sheet metal folded to form a double wall at the upper portion of said end walls rand a flange at the bottom of said end walls,

the double wall of each end wall providing the latter with a smooth upper edge and the bottom fianges of said end walls overlapping the bottom flanges of said side walls and being welded thereto.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

CLARENCE H. KELSEA. CHARLES I. GEDDES.

troughs insertibleV 

